Deathly Cold
by snapletonius
Summary: Ianto has just died, so why is he awake now, and why are people walking through him? As he realises what this means he remembers that he can see Jack again. Will Ianto be able to handle watching Jack move on or the fact that their worlds will never cross? But is there a way they can be reunited? There's more to all this then meets the eye...
1. Chapter 1

_Characters: Cpt._Jack, Ianto, Gwen

_Pairing: _Jack/Ianto

_Setting: After children of Earth_

Ianto

Dying isn't hard, it's easy really. The hard part is letting the people you love go. The last thing I can remember before I died is the feeling of Jack's hands on my face, brushing away tears. I'm not sure whose tears they were; mine or his, it didn't really matter anyway, and his lips on mine, the taste of salt and heartbreak.

Then I was gone. That was it. No fanfare, no walking into the light, just nothing.

Until of course I woke up, well, kind of.

I didn't know how long I'd been dead for, or whether I was alive now until I realised where I was. Cardiff high street gets pretty busy and people just, walked through me. I'd been with Torchwood for long enough to know what I was now and suddenly I was okay with it, because it meant I'd see Jack again. At least I could see him now, even if he couldn't see me.

I looked around for anything that would tell me what date it was, how long I'd been gone for. It struck me then: He might have moved on.

That thought alone made me feel like someone was ripping my heart out and dancing on it. It all depended on how long he'd had to get over us.

Someone threw a newspaper on the ground, it was the 17th of November. I'd been gone a little under a month, long enough for Jack to move on? In a way I wanted him to move on, to live and love again, But I didn't know if I could watch it happen, silent in the background of someone else's story with him.

I knew exactly where he'd be and walked there, knowing that the moment his smell hit me I'd be home, if only for a while. I figure *this* isn't indefinite, eventually I'll just, fade away I guess. Torchwood. The HQ had been rebuilt since the 456 incident and seeing as it was around midday on a Wednesday, I knew that Gwen and Jack would both be there, as if they were waiting for me, like I'd never left.

God he looked good in that coat. It was the one item of clothing he owned that would just look wrong on anyone else. I stood back for a second, drinking him in, not caring that Gwen was there too, not listening to what they were saying, just looking at Jack. And frowning when I noticed the dark circles under his eyes, the wrinkled shirt he was wearing, the stubble smattered on his face. He hadn't been sleeping. The temptation to call out to him, let him know that I was here and that my death wasn't his fault was huge. I knew he couldn't hear me anyway, so I sat in my old chair and just started listening to them talk

"Jack, it wasn't your fault alright? There's no one to blame here! I know you haven't slept,and I worry about you ok? Do you think this is what iant-" Jack winced, as if he'd been physically hit with a brick. " Don't. Please don't say his name." My eyes filled with tears and I reached out to him, put my hand on his shoulder. He whipped around, suddenly alert, eyes full of expectant hope.

"Jack? What are you doing?" Gwen whispered, trying to be more gentle now she'd seen how just my name had hurt him. "I… It felt like… like he was here, right there, at his desk. Gwen, I could smell his cologne" The look on his face, anger and pain…now he knew how it felt for me to watch him die, even though he would come back every time, the raw vulnerability was there, grief like a gaping wound. I would stay with him, until I couldn't stay any more.

"Jack, he's gone okay? There's nothing you or I can do about it. I loved him too but he would want us to move on." Gwen was holding his hand, making him feel better. I felt a familiar pang of jealousy. This was not going to be fun.


	2. Chapter 2

_Characters: Cpt._Jack, Ianto, Gwen

_Pairing: _Jack/Ianto

_Setting: After children of Earth_

**_Previously: "Jack, he's gone okay? There's nothing you or I can do about it. I loved him too but he would want us to move on." Gwen was holding his hand, making him feel better. I felt a familiar pang of jealousy. This was not going to be fun._**

**Ianto**

I was empty, and not just in a literal sense because as a ghost I, Obviously, wouldn't have a solid body. The feeling of complete and utter helplessness filled me. A ghost of me was not what he needed. Jack needed a real person, someone he could talk to and go out with and even just to make him coffee... not a spectre that he couldn't even hear.

But he had sensed my presence, and the look on his face made me wonder if he really _did _love me, if he'd felt about me the same way as I had about him, even if he told me not to. It hurt a part of me to see him like this. This was not the strong, charismatic, innuendo enthusiast I had loved.

No, this was the man I wish I'd had a chance to know, to help even, because if he hid all of this under the surface... who knew what else he might be hiding. I just wanted to be there for him the way he had been for me.

I knew it had taken a lot for Jack to hold me that day in that room and tell me that it was his fault, I think he was trying to say sorry for not telling me everything, about his daughter, his grandson... the first handover. Jack must be in the worst mind frame right now... he just lost his grandson and by extension his daughter and his... me.

Gwen took her hand off his and stood up. "Come on Jack, it's time for us to get out there, I'm sure the rift has been working overtime since we've not been there to stop it" She was right of course, count on Gwen to be the most practical one in Torchwood. "You're right, check the computer, see if there's something we can go and do"

That was he start of Jack working non-stop, day and night, for three weeks. They didn't talk about me again until Gwen decided to ask a question that I was wondering about too. I'd overheard her telling Rhys all about the morgue, and everything that came afterwards so when she finally worked up the courage to ask Jack about it I held my breath (figuratively).

"Jack?" "Mmm?" "That day, in the morgue, when you came back... you looked at me beside... and it was almost as if you expected something else when you looked there..." "Oh. I was hoping that he'd come back too. I was too late anyway. The kiss didn't work." I snorted. That's why he'd kissed me, to bring me back too. Maybe that's why I'm here. He might have been too late to bring me back to a mortal form, but what if this is what happens when you don't fully return? "Back to work" Jack called gruffly, walking into his office, and that was that.

*************************************** LATER THAT WEEK**********************************************

This was not good. The pier was empty now except for three men, myself, and Jack. Jack was in chains, pinned to the hole filled wall of a metal canister. The people Torchwood has to deal with sometimes... They clearly had no idea that Jack was immortal, otherwise they wouldn't just throw him into the ocean without securing some sort of weights to it.

"Right lads, throw him in. I'm getting tired of standing around and we have business elsewhere" Two heavy set men lifted the canister and I heard Jack take a deep breath before they threw it over the edge of the pier.

I choked out a small noise and reassured myself that he was coming back, in fact I could go and watch him reanimate. I swam down to him, though it was dark I could see perfectly the fear in his eyes as his lungs began to fill.

The twinkle in his eye faded and his body slumped forwards in the chains. He was dead. That was when I saw it. He was standing right in front of himself, arms folded, figuring out how he'd remove the chains. I knew he only stayed dead for a minute or so, but he never told me that he became a ghost. "JACK!" I yelled at him, and he turned, disbelief all over his face. "Ianto?! I-" and then he was back in his body again. When his eyes opened, he looked right at the spot where I was, as if he could still see me. He released himself and swam to the surface, and as usual I followed.

"The Doctor" he spluttered out. "Find the Doctor, He'll bring you back to us Ianto." I couldn't tell if it was ocean water or tears that fell next.


	3. Chapter 3

_Characters: Cpt._Jack, Ianto, Gwen, The tenth doctor, rose

_Pairing: _Jack/Ianto

_Setting: After children of Earth_

_(Note: I'm not making it a crossover because... well I'm not)_

**_Previously_**

**_"The Doctor" he spluttered out. "Find the Doctor, He'll bring you back to us Ianto." I couldn't tell if it was sea water or tears that fell after that._**

**Ianto**

The doctor, once again to be responsible for my happiness. Even in the hazy darkness that were my memories, he was a faceless being that stood out. He had taken Jack away from us all when we had needed him. How does one even go about finding a person who can travel through time on a whim? Then again, he knew I was coming. After all the tardis will have given him that bit of information so all I need to do is figure out where we'll meet.

Jack staggered to his feet, shaking water out of his hair and wringing his sopping coat out. His eyes scanned the pier, their cobalt blue piercing me once and then again as he searched. "It's no good Ianto, I can't see you when I'm like this, but I know you're still here. I'm so sorry Ianto Jones. You were supposed to be with me for as long as humanly possible and then some" He laughed dryly at himself, the deep bark echoing off empty freight containers.

"He'll know you're coming, Ian, I'll make sure of it." ((pronounced Y-an))"Start in London, around Scotland yard is a haunt of his, probably because a police box is less conspicuous near an actual police station" I turned to go, willing myself to leave the new found ability to communicate with him. It almost seemed unnecessary to come back if I could just be with him like this, always present.

" And Ianto.." he whispered, the pain causing the words to catch in his throat "I miss you." If he hadn't had my heart before he had it now, standing right there, soaked to the skin, talking to nothing. I was his.

I had to find a way, any way at all, to get to that doctor and back again in my own body, all of it would be worth it just to feel the soft bristles of Jack's cheek on mine, to smell his smell again, to see the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled. I sprinted away, knowing that the end of this was in sight spurred me onwards. I had no choice now but to trust in someone I'd never met. They held my life in their hands.

London is a smudge of grey to me, holding inside it's realm all of the pain I had felt at the hands of a crooked government and an alien being. Funny that the place I had died would be the place to save me too. I guess that it would always have happened this way, everything coming full circle. Scotland yard was buzzing with life and movement as policemen and women rushed to and fro, not paying any attention to their surroundings.

That would explain their nonchalance towards the navy police box on the corner of the street.

I stood awkwardly outside the door, or what looked like it would be the door for a while, waiting for someone to let me inside. There was no movement from the inside, no one was there. The grey clouds opened and it began to rain the classic British drizzle. If no one was going to open the door, I was going to have to. After all if Jack had felt solid underneath my palm this would too. The metal creaked as I worked at the hinges, systematically finding the weak points and exerting all the pressure I could on them until there was a flap of metal loose at the base of the box. I took a deep breath and wriggled inside.

The bronze interior cast a warm light through the structure, the blue pulsing light in the centre of the room highlighting the ornate staircases. I felt instantly soothed, this was a man I could trust. After all he was the reason I'd gotten to know Jack in the first place.

"Rose, calm down we only ran a few minutes over schedule and besides it's not like he did any real damage, it was actually quite clever." I fought off the urge to hide, remembering that he couldn't see me anyway and waited where I was, standing in front of the staircase. "I'm just saying, you could have listened to me in the first place and besides that I told you that this was going to happen anyway! I bet he's not exactly enjoying himself in there alone" a woman's voice drifted up from below, clearly the door was easier to find then I had thought. A brown haired man with a hooked nose entered first. The doctor I assumed, followed by a blonde woman who was scowling at his antics.

He smiled and turned to where I was standing. "Right so, you must be Ianto Jones then, yes?" I nodded, but he had already moved away, walking deeper into the ship. "Yes, I know all about you , I'm the Doctor. The tenth doctor to be more precise, and that's Rose" we were moving quickly, going deeper and deeper, into the ships core with Rose trailing along behind us.

" Now, seeing as we can't exactly have a conversation I'm going to assume you want my help, and I'll give it to you because I'm fond of Jack." he turned to face me, his face the picture of seriousness. " I'm going to warn you Ianto that this is going to hurt." I'd lost Jack enough times to know know that it was worth it.

" Come with me then. Put your hand on this" the blue ball that I had seen before had grown, until it spanned nearly the entirety of the room. "It's the heart of the Tardis. Don't hesitate. Just reach out and touch it. It'll be no more than a few seconds of pain, believe me." I closed my eyes and placed a palm on the surface as a blinding pain dragged me into an abyss of darkness.

****************************IANTO'S UNCONSCIOUS************************************************************

"You should have told him that he can't go back right away!" Rose was screaming at him, jabbing her finger into his chest "Do you think I had that option Rose?" he scoffed "you know how it works. I can't tell him anything about the future or it'll change. Besides it's only a few months"


	4. Chapter 4

*******NOT A NEW CHAPTER********

Hey guys, sorry I haven't updated in a while buuuuut my laptop needs to get fixed so I probably won't be updating for a little bit :( I'll make it up to you though, I promise! I'll either do a super long chapter or a few regular size ones depending on how long this takes to be fixed. Thanks for all the follow, favourites and review 3 ~SS


	5. Chapter 5

_Characters:_ Ianto, The tenth doctor, Rose

_Pairing: _Jack/Ianto

_Setting: After children of Earth_

_(Note: I'm not making it a crossover because... well I'm not)_

**_Previously:_**_"__**You should have told him that he can't go back right away!" Rose was screaming at him, jabbing her finger into his chest "Do you think I had that option Rose?" he scoffed "you know how it works. I can't tell him anything about the future or it'll change. Besides it's only a few months"**_

_**Ianto **_

Pain doesn't even touch on the agony that I felt. the light pulsed through me, burning, crushing and then rejuvinating. The darkness crushed me like a vice, I was dust. There was no light, no beginning and no end to the torture. Until at last, there was.

I could feel the softness of a matress aginst my skin, and smelled the tangy stench only metal can be responsible for. I was alive. I opened my eyes to find another set looking right into mine. "JESUS!" I screamed, and promptly rolled off the bed and onto the ground. Rose stood over me, laughing hysterically, tears streaming down her face "Oh God, I do not get to do that enough! Sorry Ianto but your face was just what I needed to perk up my morning."

I was still stunned, and sat in silence on the carpet "HE'S AWAKE!" Rose yelled and turned to leave, but thought the better of it and whisked back around. "It's great to meet you in person Ianto" she smiled warmly at me and I felt a lot better about the earlier incident, though my heart was still racing. "It's good to meet you too Rose" She nodded and winked at me "It's probably best if you put some clothes on before you come outside." With that she was off. I looked down and found she wasn't lying. I blushed deeply and pulled on the clothes that lay across a chair by the door before leaving.

Striding out into the atrium I saw the doctor and Rose immersed in conversation over tea, a third cup waiting on the table. In my rush to get it I was sure I would break something, probably the sound barrier. The milky sweetness remined me of how much I'd missed these little things when I couldn't have them anymore. "Thank you, For this" I gestured down to myself.

The doctor smiled and nodded "Don't worry about it mate, Jack's gotten us out of a few tight spots, It's the least I could do" Rose opened her mouth to speak, and promptly closed it again, afraid to speak. "What is it?" they shared a look and the doctor gulped. "Ianto... you can't go back home right away". I couldn't breathe, my heart stopped beating. "why not?" I managed to choke out. "The world's in trouble and needs Jack. Jack alone. He'll work harder and faster if he knows you're coming soon, but not at all if you're with him"

I sat, fists clenched between my knees for a while, processing this new information. After an eternity of silence I breathed out slowly. "Okay. How long? How long until I can go back to him?" Rose managed a weak smile at me, probably relieved that I hadn't strangled the doctor. "Three months at most but likely less than a month. It'll feel a lot longer though Ianto" I frowned, confused again. "What do you mean it'll feel like longer, time is time, isn't it?" Rose laughed dryly. "Not with him it's not! We'll be time travelling the whole time Ianto, so we'll be flicking back and forth between living in the past or future and living in the present. It feels like longer but it's the same amount of time.

I shook my head. "It sounds complicated and honestly I just want to keep things simple. From now on I'm just going to go with it and trust you, but as soon as I am physically able to go back, you have to tell me. Literally that millisecond I want to know and go. Okay?" They nodded in agreement and I relaxed my grip of the chair. "So. Where do we start?"

" Despite the weird time flicking thing. this is very similar to the work Torchwood does" I told Rose as we sat down together, it had been a month since I'd woken up and I'd been in 17 different centuries since then. "Yeah, so I've heard" we caught eachothers eyes and laughed, sitting down to eat with the doctor. "Alright you two, calm down! I know excersise makes you happy but you two are just too chirpy for my likng" I chortled away to myself as he sat muttering to himself at his end of the table. I could see why him and Jack had become friends, after all they say opposites attract.

"The one time we haven't been in recently is our own, Is that on purpose?" I raised an eyebrow at the doctor who shrugged " Not really, there's been no reason for us to go there until now" with that he sprinted off. I looked at Rose for some gague of what was happening but she had the same blank expression of someone who was used to being out of the loop. "Buckle up you two! we're going home!"

The landing was shaky at best but the now familiar noises of London filtering in through the door meant we'd arrived. "Ianto?" The doctor had a huge grin on his face as he walked back into the room. "It's time."


	6. Chapter 6

_Characters: Cpt._Jack, Ianto, Gwen, The tenth doctor, Rose

_Pairing: _Jack/Ianto

_Setting: After children of Earth_

**_Previou_**_**sly:The landing was shaky at best but the now familiar noises of London filtering in through the door meant we'd arrived. "Ianto?" The doctor had a huge grin on his face as he walked back into the room. "It's time."**_

**Ianto**

"Are you serious!" I was already breathless just thinking about being home again in Jacks arms."Completely serious, you best be off if you want to surprise him" the doctor quipped, opening the door I'd had such trouble finding when we first met. "I'll miss you Rose, Take care of him for me will you, he's a little bit helpless without you" we laughed for a while and I pulled the two of them into a tight embrace. The lavender smell of Roses laundry had become familiar over the year (doctor time) of time travel, I would miss it.

"Right well, go on, I'll see you soon okay? Text me or something" Rose wiped a tear off her face and smiled wryly. I lingered, not wanting to leave her upset. "GO! I'll be fine, really! Get!" Rose pushed me out the door and waved while the doctor took it on himself to walk me to the nearest taxi rank.

"Ianto I probably shouldn't tell you this but get a gun. You're going to need it. Keep it hidden on your person at all times." He whispered into my ear while shoving a handful of random objects into my pockets. Flagging down a taxi he nodded to me and turned, briskly walking away. I watched him leave for a moment, confident we would cross paths again.

I hopped into the taxi and fumbled in my pockets for a while, hoping money had been high on the doctors list of things I needed in my pocket. Sure enough I felt the crisp edge of notes. "Cardiff please"

The smell of Wales hit ne before anything else. The combination of cut grass and car fumes were intoxicating, They pulled me in like no drug could. It was nice to have an hour to myself. After all I'd spent almost a year with the doctor, a year in his time vortex thing that is. In reality it couldn't have been more than two months or so. Every single day Id thought about Jack, how stupid I was not to tell him I loved him sooner, what I was going to do with him as soon as I gother the chance.A certain stopwatch came to mind more than once.

Being alone was both soothing and terrifying at once. In the dark rear of the cab I felt trapped back in the confines of death. It was just me alone with my thoughts, but those all disappear with death. It's usually quite a final thing.

The cabbie pulled into Cardiff high street and stopped, requesting payment. I produced a wad of notes and threw them at him as I rolled out of the car. The pier was relatively empty, the day was just overcast enough to deter people from hanging about. The ominous clouds held the promise of a torrential down pour. "Definitely Wales" I chuckled to myself and continued strolling leisurely toward the torchwood hq. Rooting through my stuffed pockets I found more money, keys to my apartment, my wallet filled with my id and license and a mobile. I flicked it on and went straight for the contacts. There were three numbers in total: Rose's, Gwen's, and The doctor's. I knew exactly who to call.

"Hellloo Gwen Cooper speaking who is this?" "Feeling very formal today Gwen?" she gasped and then there was a moment of rustling while she ran to her office, I could see her perfectly from my spot on the pier, her kitchen window faced directly out to sea. "Ianto Jones if you're messing with me from the grave so help me I'll be digging you up and strangling you myself!" she was only half kidding. "No it's really me, look out at the pier" she turned and waved to me frantically, I could see that she was screaming even after she'd hung up.

Though heavily pregnant Gwen could still run much faster than I ever could. I barely managed to say a word between the rib crushing hugs and squeals of "How?! Never mind I don't care all that matters is your here!" eventually she got tired of standing though she didn't admit it and we walked together to the nearest bench and sat down. "God Ianto what took you so long, Jack's been going out of his mind, I think he might have given up all hope that you made it to London at all. He kept muttering something about not factoring in the fade... But your here!"

That gave me pause. As difficult as the last few months had been for me, I'd been doing something, with other people. Jack hadn't. He'd been alone with his guilt for two months while saving the world, again. Gwen took my silence as the sign to start getting up. "Come on so, let's see if we can give him a heart attack" It was good to be back.

Gwen strode into torchwood and winked at me, then put a finger to her lips. "Jack" she murmured outside the door of his office. He was sitting in the dimly lit office, facing the window. By the looks of the place he'd been There for a good while. He grunted at Gwen who continued whatever charade we were pulling. "Someone here to see you, says it's important official business?" I could see her struggling to hold her composure and I had to turn away to avoid her eye.

"Im not seeing anyone Gwen, I don't care if the world is crumbling. Tell them to piss off" Jack grumbled, his voice deep and throaty as ever.

Gwen nodded and tapped me in. "Not a very nice way to treat guests Jack, you've let your manners slip while Ive been away" The look in his eye was almost manic in it's need for this to be real, for me to be real.

"Ianto" he pulled himself out of the chair and barrelled over to me, pulling my face into his as if I was the oxygen to his lungs. His hands were rough as ever, the calloused flesh unfit for the gentleness of his hand on my face and for a very long time it was just us and his lips on mine and the feel of his hair and that smell of cologne and dry cleaning I loved so much, we were all that the mattered.

Too soon he pulled away."I missed you more than I can ever even dream of saying,God you had me going out of my mind,I thought I'd really lost you, for good this time." He clasped my hands in his and purred softly in my ear "I'm nother letting you out of my sight for a very long time" I blushed and he laughed, for the first time in a while evidently because he almost tried to quell it. "Gwen?" he called out, half dragging half carrying me to the door.

"Taking an early night, be back eventually" Gwen just smiled and nodded. "It's good to have you back" she called out to us as we disappeared through the door. "Both of you" she whispered quietly to herself as she sat down and pulled the coffee maker out from under her desk.


	7. Here, have an apology and a promise

*******NOT A NEW CHAPTER BUT...********

Hey guys, apologies again for the lack of frequent updating, The whole laptop problem still exists but no excuses! I'm doing a collab **Tomorrow** (be warned it is going to be a smutty chapter so if you're not ready... stay away) but I'll try and get a second more... plot fulfilling chapter in because I have a fun idea as to where this is going to go... (You're going to hate me by the end... :D) thanks for all the support and encouragement, really means a lot ~S


	8. Chapter 8

_Characters: Cpt._Jack, Ianto

_Pairing: _Jack/Ianto

_Setting: After children of Earth_

**Previously: "Taking an early night, be back eventually" Gwen just smiled and nodded. "It's good to have you back" she called out to us as we disappeared through the door. "Both of you" she whispered quietly to herself as she sat down and pulled the coffee maker out from under her desk.**

** *******************WARNING******************

**This chapter is rated M, and I'm not changing the rating in case people are searching soooooo anyways, You've been warned, just a heads up! ALSO this chapter is a collab with farquaads-farsquaad (tumblr) **

**Ianto**

**"**TAXI!" I held my hand out to stop myself from holding his. Even though he was standing behind me I could feel his eyes on me, the same way he'd stared at me on the pier, boring into me, effortlessly making me blush. I knew he could see it on my ears from the way he laughed, chuckling knowingly. We clambered into the first taxi that pulled up, squeezing into the cramped backseat together.

Jack reached across me, pulling my seatbelt across me, brushing my hip as he picked it up, and grinning seductively when I shifted in my seat. (If you're from Ireland, it's not what you think ;) ) We sat in relative silence, the driver's eyes flicking frequently and suspiciously at us in the rear view mirror. Jack's hand was still resting on my thigh, moving slowly towards the inner seam. I fought off a grin and gave the driver my address. He looked at Jack's hand and back at me before frowning and driving on.

Jack's breath was warm and wet on my neck as he leaned into my ear. "I hope you don't have plans, I don't see you being free for a while." He smiled at me, eyebrow raised in the suggestive manner that only he could pull off. Jack was back.

The car pulled up outside my building and we climbed out. Jack handed the driver some cash and then turned to me. "Ianto I think I dropped my keys on the ground will you grab them." I was confused, but I leaned into the car and rummaged around for the keys. After a minute of searching, they were nowhere to be found. Jack's hands moved to my hips and he pulled me out of the taxi. "Remind me to thank your tailor for making those pants." I couldn't help myself, I had to laugh at his blatant admission that he had been staring at my arse. The driver scoffed audibly and Jack's smile widened, he had achieved the desired effect.

The car drove off and Jack, hands still on my hips, pulled my back against his chest and walked into my building whispering things that I could only catch a portion of. Stopwatch definitely appeared at least once. My apartment was the penthouse so we waited for the lift to arrive and were not surprised to find it empty. The doors had barely shut when Jack turned, pushing my back against the mirrored wall. His lips found mine and soon we were both breathing heavily. His tongue prised my lips apart with ease and we began a playful give and take, each exploring the other with light teasing movement. I felt Jack's hands move to the back of my legs and as soon as he began to lift them I got the message, wrapping them around his hips, lacing my fingers through his hair to steady us.

By the time the lift stopped at my apartment the suit pants were feeling too tight. Jack moved out of the lift, with me still wrapped around him, and made it to the door. His hand slithered into my pocket, searching for the keys but finding something else entirely. I felt him groan into my mouth and pressed harder against him. He extracted the keys, taking his time, moving them up and out rather slowly. I didn't question why none of my things had been moved or why the apartment was still in my name. Jack stumbled into the first room he could find, which happened to be my bedroom. We sank onto the bed, Jack arched above me, his hands beginning to open the buttons of my shirt, all the while touching each newly exposed bit of skin, proving to both of us that I was real.

He loosened my tie but left it alone, concentrating on manouvering my jacket and shirt off. In the end he got me into a sitting position and moved behind me, sliding the jacket and shirt off simultaneously. I gasped when his teeth grazed my neck and grabbed onto the striped tie that rested there. He came back around where I could see him and pulled it off using only his teeth. I was down to only my trousers while he was still fully clothed, he even had his coat on. Careful not to break away from his lips I began to strip him, easing each item off quickly, desperate now to see his tanned chest against my own.

Jack chuckled as if he knew what I was thinking and shrugged his undershirt off. His body made me groan, it was all toned muscle and chiseled abs. His hands found their way to my trousers but he was having trouble finding the button. "I'd hate to have to rip them off..." he looked to me for assent and I nodded, they had become incredibly tight in the past ten a devious grin he slipped his hands into the sides of them and literally tore them from my body. I had another pair just like them anyway.

Flicking all of our clothes out of the way he pushed me gently back onto the bed. He leaned back on his heels and put a finger to my lips. His eyes roamed every part of my body, he just stared at me lying beneath him. His eyes were full of need and hope and a hint of something else I couldn't identify but it was enough, he wasn't even touching me and I was moaning softly. All he had to do was look. Jack growled, the noise deep and guttural and so incredibly sexual, I knew I was in for something spectacular. There was no rush. We had all night

**A/N: I'm sorry! That's basically all I had to say :L This is part one of a two part chapter thingy and the next one will be longer (and considerably dirtier) thanks for all the support and patience! **


	9. Chapter 9

_Characters: Cpt._Jack, Ianto

_Pairing: _Jack/Ianto

_Setting: After children of Earth_

******Previously: **_Flicking all of our clothes out of the way he pushed me gently back onto the bed. He leaned back on his heels and put a finger to my lips. His eyes roamed every part of my body, he just stared at me lying beneath him. His eyes were full of need and hope and a hint of something else I couldn't identify but it was enough, he wasn't even touching me and I was moaning softly. All he had to do was look. Jack growled, the noise deep and guttural and so incredibly sexual, I knew I was in for something spectacular. There was no rush. We had all night_

** **********WARNING******* **

**It's rated M for a reason ladies and gentlefolk! I apologise for this awkward ball of awkardness... I'm only 15 though so don't flame me xxx**

**Ianto**

Jack was hard against me, and the low burning in the pit of my stomach had flared again at the sight. His hands reached my face and his mouth was on mine again, heady and warm, exploring vigorously. I moaned softly as he pressed closer, crushing us together. "You taste like nothing else in the universe" Jack breathed against my neck, flicking his tongue against my chin and licking along my jaw. I knew he could feel me, throbbing already against his stomach. His grin widened as I found my hands stroking his chest, moving down to his crotch slowly, savoring the firm muscle of his abdomen under my hands. His lips sucked at my collar bone, blocking any rational or coherent thoughts out of my mind.

I wrapped my hands around his erection, gasping when he sucked harder at my neck, kissing and licking all the while marking me as his own. I moved my hands up, stroking the tip with my fingers and relishing the low growl that ensued. He was pulsing into my hands, thrusting gently in rhythm with my fingers. I barely choked back a sigh when his hand found mine and began to set the pace. It was faster, harder, rougher but it was good, it was Jack. His hips locked against mine and his grip widened to encompass both of us. We were grinding against each other, his hand moving up and down with expert precision. "If you don't do it right now I'll come in your hand" I groaned out, and I wasn't joking. I could tell from his already ragged breathing that he was close too, maybe closer than Iwas. He nodded, trying to control his breathing but failing. His hands reached around, cupping my ass gently before sliding a finger in. I gasped as he moved it around and again when a second one joined it. I could see that he was enjoying it as much as I was. "Now" I croaked, lifting my hips up under his thighs. His pupils were blown wide, full of need. I'd guess that this is probably the longest Jack's ever gone without sex on purpose. He's Jack Harkness, intergalactic sex maniac if all the stories I'd heard from Rose had been true.

His eyes locked with mine and he moved forward, pushing slowly until I was full and we were millimeters apart. He tilted my chin upward with one hand and kissed me, eyes burning into mine as he began to move slowly at first, waiting until I was panting and writhing against him to pick up the pace. Jack was moaning into my mouth, breath hot and sweet, teasing his tongue around mine. He moved just a degree to the left and he was sending bolts of electricity through me with every thrust. I was in a haze of pleasure, I can't remember saying anything but he was going harder and I was glad, his hands held our hips together, so tight I was certain I would bruise but that was better and still he moved faster, deeper, my name the only word on his lips. I was close, could feel myself tightening around him and heard him hiss, moving faster again. My hands flew to his hair and I grasped at it, hoping to tether myself permanently to him. I exploded hard against his stomach, calling his name as sensation overwhelmed me. He was coming with me, my ecstasy sending him over the edge. He collapsed on top of me and we lay there, still entwined for a long time.

Eventually we shifted under the covers and I lay my head on his shoulder, perfectly content. I knew that we'd have to talk at some point soon, about everything. I didn't want to be the one to bring it up so I stayed silent, running my hands absent mindedly over his chest and arms. I barely noticed when his arm came behind me and held my body against him. "It's probably not a great time to, but we definitely have a lot to talk about. So, you grab us some coffee, I'll straighten things up in here and then we can talk" Jack was looking around the room at the mess we had made in our rush to get to the bed. "You know you'll do it wrong and I'll end up doing it all again so no you stay there, I'll get some coffee and clean later" I said with a smile and strolled to the kitchen. When I made it back with the coffee Jack was sat up in bed with a pair of my tracksuit bottoms on. I laughed as he tossed me a pair and rolled my eyes as I put them on.

Flopping back onto the bed I rested my head on my arm and turned to him, giving my full attention. "Ianto there are a couple things I need to ask you about, but the first one is the most important so be honest. What would you have done if I hadn't seen you that night by the pier? I wouldn't have told you where to find the doctor so you'd have stayed a ghost or spirit or... What would you have done?" I thought about it for a second, contemplating what the best answer would be but eventually I settled on exactly what I had thought I'd do. "I would have stayed with you until I was sure you'd moved on and then I guess... Stay some more until I moved on to whatever comes after that. That was my plan until that night at the pier. Plus I wanted to make sure that you kept the hub clean, and the archives done right." trying to lighten the mood was useless because Jack had nothing he could say. I had essentially just said that I was going to watch him move on and then stay some more, completely alone. "You would have watched me, moving on or away or whatever would have happened in the future, without being able to do anything but follow?" he stared at me. "Well yes. I wanted you to be happy so... I followed you around before the 456 didn't I? So there wasn't much of a difference except you couldn't see me which was... It hurt at first. But I'd do anything to see you happy, just so long as I got to see you. I was afraid I'd never see you again." Jack moved closer and held my hand, not smiling any more.

"Usually when people die, myself being the exception, they stay gone. I don't want to think about how you would have felt seeing that. Admittedly it wouldn't have been for a long time. I'm glad that I didn't leave earth now. I get to stay with you for as long as you're in existence." I just nodded against his chest and squeezed his hand. "What's the other thing you wanted to talk about?" "Work. Do you want to go back? I won't stop you obviously, need you on the team, but if you feel like going back would be a bad decision I understand." I raised an eyebrow "Of course I'm going back, who'd make the coffee if I didn't?" Jack grinned widely and laughed, taking a sip of the coffee I had given him and groaning. "Best coffee in Wales" he exclaimed, taking a large gulp. "Last one" Jack said after the mug was empty "Telling your sister...you should probably do that at some point, you know, familial obligation and that. She'd love to see you" I laughed at myself and Jack just looked at me. "She had to bury me and now she's going to see me again, she's going to have a heart attack" Jack chuckled himself then and his hands went back to my hair. Jack yawned widely, and I followed suit. "Should sleep" I yawned out, already drifting off. "Mmmmmm" Jack nestled under the duvet and rolled over so my back was against his chest and his arms could hold me against him. Light was already filtering in through the window but Gwen would understand. Sleep takes precedence over all else. "G'Night Jack" "Goodnight Ianto"

**A/N Well that was an awkward experience for me, I mean it had to happen but I was trying to avoid actually doing it but I felt bad for not posting and I couldn't change it because it got worse each time (I know.) I've got exams in a week so SURPRISE I won't be posting (Like you're not used to that already) but In like 3 weeks they'll be over and then I shall post again! Thanks for sticking with it!**


	10. Chapter 10

_Characters: Cpt._Jack, Ianto, gwen, Rhys

_Pairing: _Jack/Ianto

_Setting: After children of Earth_

**Previously: Jack yawned widely, and I followed suit. "Should sleep" I yawned out, already drifting off. "Mmmmmm" Jack nestled under the duvet and rolled over so my back was against his chest and his arms could hold me against him. Light was already filtering in through the window but Gwen would understand. Sleep takes precedence over all else. "G'Night Jack" "Goodnight Ianto"**

**Ianto**

It was almost seven by the time Jack and I even contemplated getting out of bed. We'd gone from dark to dark without drawing a breath, or so it felt. If I was totally honest with myself, I didn't want it to end. Didn't want the stomach churning fear of dying again. Something told me that I wouldn't get another second chance at life. This was it. Which was terrifying, death is much more fear inducing when you know what it's like. There's no higher power waiting for you, no paradise of sunny skies and opulent wings. It's an all encompassing blanket of darkness that holds you in place, leaving your mind to sit and memories to fade. I can truly understand why Jack feels awful when he comes back, I know how that feels. All day we'd slept and when we woke up we made up for all the time we had lost. As evening fell again I rolled out of bed and wandered into the kitchen, wondering vaguely in the back of my head exactly how I was still the legal owner of this apartment and if there would be food. Pretty sure there was food when we left for London, but that would definitely have been out of date by now. Sure enough the fridge was empty. "Take away it is" I muttered and grabbed the phone, calling the Chinese place down the road. They say the delivery will arrive in thirty minutes so I stumbled back to bed.

I had closed the door quietly behind me when I left, not wanting to wake Jack up. He needed to sleep, It had been far too long since he had slept properly. Opening the door with a soft click, I slipped back inside to find Jack wide awake, looking around in confusion. He looked as if he had finally lost his mind all together. Hearing the door his eyes flick up and the relief was almost tangible. Evidently it was going to take some time before he could assure himself that I was here, that he wasn't hallucinating me in an effort to torture himself. Which is fair enough. I chuckle softly to myself: I used to be the clingy one. With a smirk I flopped back down beside him, the smirk growing to a full blown smile when he drowsily entwined our fingers. "I ordered Chinese, You hungry?" Jack smiled and nodded, yawning and stretching simultaneously. "I haven't slept so well in I don't know how long. You must have tired me out Ianto" I blushed just slightly, and hit his arm softly. "I don't think I was the one who got up for round four ten minutes after we'd finished."Jack's grin widened "Really? I could have sworn you got up" he winked and I laughed, putting his face in my hands. I could get used to this again I thought as the doorbell rang.

Quickly pulling on some clothes I rushed to the door, thanking the universe for giving the doctor the foresight to leave me with cash. I opened the door to find Gwen and Rhys standing there, both grinning knowingly. I gasped and embraced them both before ushering them inside. "Jack, Gwen and Rhys are here, you should probably put a layer or two on." I called into the bedroom where Jack just chuckled and the bed creaked loudly as he rolled out of it. "Sit down you two, honestly. Coffee anyone?" I asked and we all laughed, things were back to normal. "I will definitely have a coffee Ianto" Jack said as he trundled out in his wrinkled clothes from the previous day, suspenders unhooked. The Chinese arrived as I was setting down the cups and I was glad that I had bought way more than we would have eaten because it looked like we were having a dinner party. We tucked in, I had a new found appreciation for food since I hadn't been having any for a long time, and the doctor wasn't exactly a fan of Chinese food. "So, Ianto, what happened? I mean the whole story, can't seem to wrap my head around it!" Rhys asked, and I sighed. "It's a pretty long story, but if you insist" I started with the day in London, the day I had died.

"It didn't hurt, not like I thought it would, the poison just kind of made you shut down and I did. I was in the dark for a long time, just there, conscious but not really present, no memories, nothing. Maybe that was a function of what happened next or maybe that's what dying is. I don't know. One day I just kind of woke up in the middle of Cardiff with people walking through me. That was a strange experience... I figured out the date and headed back to HQ because that was the only place I could think of to go. No one could see me but I think Jack could sense I was there, he said he smelled my cologne when I arrived that first day" I smiled weakly and Jack looked pleased that he hadn't been going insane.

"I had no real plan, so I tailed you both for a while, and you were busy let me tell you. It was one night on the pier, Jack got thrown into the water and I knew he was going to die so I followed him down and watched to make sure he was okay I saw him, watching himself as a ghost or spirit or whatever the hell we were. I called out to him and he saw me and tried to talk to me but then he was back in his body and swimming to the surface. He told me to go find the doctor and I did. I broke into the tardis and" Jack did a double take "Wait. You broke into the tardis?! Ghengis Khan and his entire army couldn't break into the tardis!" I shrugged. It hadn't even been difficult. "Maybe it was programmed to let me in, but I broke in anyway and then Rose and the doctor arrived and they brought me toothed heart of the tardis and I touched it and then I was in the dark again. When i did wake up I was back in my body again and eager to come home, but I couldn't because you" I smiled at Jack "needed to save the world and I was apparently too much of a distraction. So I traveled the universe and time with The doctor and Rose for a while until it was time to come home and well you know the rest." There was silence for a while, everyone in their own thoughts but soon enough we were chatting and laughing and it was almost midnight when Rhys decided maybe they should go home.

Gwen yawned and then pointed at the two of us, glaring sharply. "You two had better be in work tomorrow because I will come here and drag you if I have to and you know it" Jack nodded as he opened the door "Yeah yeah, calm down Gwen we'll be there or I'm not a captain." We all laughed at that and he closed the door.

**A/N Hey guys, I haven't abandoned this fic, but I have made the executive decision that I'm only going to update every 2 weeks or so because |I have a lot of other fics that I'm focusing on, so sorry about all the waiting, I'm going to try update on schedule form now on!**


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